The Ever Changing Tide
by From Spark to Flame
Summary: Zuko's life has always been like the tide, always changing and flowing, never to settle down. He's decided that he's going to follow that tide and find the mother that he has sorely missed. Sokka has it in his head that Zuko needs him to go with him.


Disclaimer: Not mine.

A/N: WHOOT! I'm back to writing. Anyway, this is a present for Kasplosion. Merry XMas. Haha, very very belated, but better late than never...right? But yeah, I'm going back to Harry Potter after this.

Very very very very almost nonexistant slash.

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A tide of blue roved over the sand, flickering over the rocks that littered the coast. The crashing of the gentle waves resonated in the air as the sea breeze tickled Zuko's nose. He huffed, blowing away a cowlick that threatened to render him sightless. A yawn wracked through his sore body as he stretched his aching limbs, smiling softly as the cool of the morning caressed his skin. His eyes roved over the horizon, searching for the smokestacks of the ship he had called for- the one that would carry him away into the sea.

"I'm coming too."

Zuko didn't turn around. The peppy voice behind him revealed that much in itself. "You can't come. Not this time. I have to do this alone." Zuko's voice came out strained, no matter how much he tried to layer it with a light humor. His fist tightened, the fingers going white as his veins revealed their color against the pasty skin.

"Zuko," the voice said again. Zuko picked up the sound of the man's footsteps grating against the coarse sand. "Shut up. I'm not leaving you."

"Stop spewing cheesy shit and go away. I don't need you here. I never will."

The footsteps faltered and a silence hung in the air. With a whoosh, something collided with Zuko's head. His hand shot up, immediately wrapping around the new bump on his head. His teeth bit down on his upper lip, digging into the tender pink skin as he spun on his heel, his eyes piercing the figure of the smug teen staring back at him, boomerang in hand.

Sokka.

"What was that for?" The words left his lips in an angry rush, harsh and biting. Sokka watched Zuko screw up his face in anger, the other boy's lips pulled into a taunt line.

Sokka stepped forward with a prideful air, his eyebrows furrowed at his friend's stubbornness. "That was for being an idiotic prissy little prince." He poked Zuko with an accusing finger. The scarred boy just looked down his nose at the finger, scoffing.

With a defiant move, Zuko pushed the other's hand away. "I said leave," he said through bared teeth, a tinge of exasperation tickling his voice.

Sokka just shook his head, "Come on! I can help you." His voice was soft, carrying away with the sea breeze. He reached for Zuko, grabbing the man's fisted hand by the wrist and pulling him to look him in the eye instead of the at the sea. Zuko's eyes had still been searching the horizon.

"You just need to let me try." His blue eyes were set, his lips pursed as he stood with his feet planted firmly to the ground.

"I don't care to let you try anything." Zuko snatched his hand away, however loosening his taunt fist. "I can find my mother myself. Go and throw your stupid boomerang around."

Sokka's eyes flared out in anger as he snarled, his hands wrapping around ZUko's tunic as he pulled him close. "You stubborn brat! You can't do this alone. I know you Zuko, sometimes more than you know yourself. Do you know then? Where to look for your mother? Do you know how she looks like? Will you recognize her? Do you know what to say when- correction- IF you meet her?

This time, Zuko's anger flared at the accusation, his eyes narrowing at Sokka. "Don't you dare instigate that I wouldn't recognize my own mother. I know her. I love her."

Sokka sighed, releasing his grip on Zuko's tunic. He tiredly ran a hand through his hair. "I knew my mother too but yet everytime I try to remember her, I see Katara."

"Well I wasn't dropped on my head as a baby," Zuko said. If Sokka didn't know him any better, he would have said that ZUko was actually joking. Heh, yeah right. "My mother actually took care of me."

Sokka flinched at the comment but brushed it away. "Is she going to take care of you now? What are you going to do when you see her? Are you going to shower her with affection or ast like the cold bastard you like to pretend you are?"

"I.." Zuko faltered. "I don't know," he finished, his voice barely above a whisper.

Sokka nodded, knowing that was the answer. "My point. I know you, ZUko."

"No." Zuko shook his head, his hair frayed as he screwed his eyes shut. "You can't come. What are you trying?"

"Cuz you need me there. You're going to act like an emotionally constipated bastard and end up pushing your mother away. You can only take so much emotion at once," Sokka said with a smirk. ZUko gave a glare and thumped the other upside the head.

"You're an idiot. And how will you handle my emotional constipation? Why do I need you?"

"I'm your comic relief." Sokka grinned.

"How'd you handle my mother then?"

Zuko raised an eyebrow at the comment as he watched Sokka fall to his knees. "When I see your mother, I'll go down on my knees and ask her for your hand in marriage."

"What the f-"

"Or maybe I'd just win her over with my manly charm," Sokka said, rubbing the nonexistent goatee on his chin.

"You? Manly charm? Very funny," Zuko said with a chuckle.

" Your face is funny," Sokka replied, the words slipping past his lips in an automatic reply.

"I bet you don't think my fist in your face is funny," Zuko mock threatened.

"Nah, I just think its waay sexy," Sokka said with an exaggerated wink.

Zuko stared at him blankly. "You know that you have problems, right?"

"Right." Then it dawned on Sokka as to what he just agreed about. "Hey! What? No! I'm perfectly normal."

"Except for the fact that you have a ponytail and carry around a boomerang."

"I object." Sokka stuck his boomerang up in the air. He winced as he hit his head. "I can knock someone out with this thing."

Zuko snorted. "Only yourself."

"That was only one time. It doesn't count. Anyway, my manliness will obviously win over your mother. You neeeeeeeeeeeed me!"

Zuko didn't reply, instead turning and scanning the horizon for a ship. They stood like that, side by side in silence, letting the wind whistle through their hair as the water sparkled before them.

And when Zuko's eyes met the smokestacks he had been looking for- been waiting for- his breath hitched. A sudden decision just plopped itself onto his lap.

With a deep breath, he said 1 word.

"Okay."

Sokka wide eyes stared at him in shock for a split second before a happy screech tore through his throat as he wrapped his arms around Zuko in a jumpy happiness. "I can go! I can go! WHOOOOOO!" Sokka laughed and pecked Zuko on the cheek before running off to an open area in the sand as he proceeded to run around in circles.

Zuko watched Sokka, his fingers rubbing his cheek softly.

Shaking his head, Zuko turned back toward the sea, a small smile tweaking his lips as he watched the ship come closer- the one that would carry him away into the sea.

Correction.

The one that would carry him and Sokka away into the sea.

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A/N: You just gotta say 'Aww'! It's cute. -huggles story- Anyway, virtual cookies to those who review.

Hope you liked it Kasplosion.

XOXO

Flame


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